


Somewhere We Belong

by mylifeiskara



Series: t100 Fic for BLM Prompts [7]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Inspired by Anastasia (1997 & Broadway), Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:28:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28885383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mylifeiskara/pseuds/mylifeiskara
Summary: All Mori has wanted for as long as she can remember is to feel wanted by someone. She doesn't know what happened to her family, and she's determined to find out. So when an interesting opportunity arises and she finds herself impersonating the long lost Princess Emori, she doesn't expect that to lead her to the thing she'd been looking for all along.An Anastasia AU
Relationships: Emori/John Murphy (The 100)
Series: t100 Fic for BLM Prompts [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105646
Comments: 10
Kudos: 14
Collections: The t100 Writers for BLM Initiative





	Somewhere We Belong

**Author's Note:**

  * For [animmortalist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/animmortalist/gifts).



> Hello! Very excited to be back to my Memori roots with this BLM prompt! I had such a great time writing this because I think Memori fits this AU so well, so I hope you guys like it.

_Not so long ago, the kingdoms of Sangedakru and Trikru were joined by marriage and they lived in harmony. The king and queen were blessed with five beautiful children, the youngest being a girl named Emori. They loved all their children dearly, but paid special attention to Emori because she was different from the rest of them. Her left hand caused much spectacle and confusion and not everyone knew what to do with it, so in an attempt to make sure she wasn’t seen as less than, they made her cover it up. It was a part of her, but it made her stand out, and Emori resented it._

_Emori had a favorite aunt, the Grand Duchess Indra. Indra taught Emori that while some might ridicule her for her hand, it was something that set her apart, and she should not be ashamed of it when it made her who she was. Emori wished Indra could stay in the capital always, but she lived in Polis and was not always around, save for big occasions. But the times she visited were always Emori’s favorite._

_Though Emori was only nine years old, she loved the royal balls. It was the one exception where her nanny would allow her to stay up late, and everyone wore gloves so she never stood out like a sore thumb. She adored watching elegant lords and ladies twirl around in their finest gowns and jewels. She couldn’t think of anything more magnificent. Royal balls also meant a guaranteed visit from Aunt Indra._

_On the occasion of this ball, Indra presented Emori with a special gift. She frowned as Indra held it out to her, a small green bedazzled box._

_“Does it open?” Emori asked._

_“Remember the necklace I gave you?” Indra asked, a fond smile on her face._

_Emori touched her free hand to the necklace around her neck that read ‘Together in Polis’ then looked back at the box, noticing an oddly-shaped keyhole. She lifted the box up so it reached the chain of her necklace and turned it in the lock. The box opened, playing the most beautiful melody that Emori had ever heard._

_“What does it mean?” she asked, looking back to her aunt._

_“It means any time you miss me, you can open this box that plays our lullaby and think of one day when you’re a little older and can come visit me in Polis.”_

_“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Aunt Indra!” Emori wrapped her arms around her aunt’s neck._

_Emori went to bed that night, head filled with dreams of the future when she was finally allowed to travel and be with the person who meant the most to her. Little did she know that day would never come._

_Peace could only last for so long in the two united kingdoms. The king had made quite a few political enemies, one of whom was a cleric gone rogue named Baylis. Baylis did not take lightly to being snubbed and forgotten in the new order and he’d been plotting to overthrow the king for some time._

_It happened on a cold winter night. The family was tucked in bed and taken by complete surprise. Many of their own staff were in on the insurrection so they never saw it coming. Emori rushed through the halls with her aunt, tripping over her shoes that were barely on her feet. Everything was a blur, screams from all throughout the castle as the unthinkable happened to her family. Somehow, Emori and Indra were able to make it out of the castle unscathed, thanks to the help of a savvy servant boy. But Indra and Emori were separated in the commotion._

_As Emori’s hand slipped from Indra’s grasp and her body was lost in the sea of terrified citizens, her heart sank, and Indra wept for the loss of her favorite niece, the loss of her family all in one evening._

_Years passed and a small part of Indra never gave up hope that her niece was still alive and that she might see her again. She was not naive enough that it was on the forefront of her mind, but on her hardest days it got her through. And for Indra, that was enough._

**TEN YEARS LATER**

Mori picks at her bowl of oatmeal, which is somehow more bland than it was yesterday morning. The days seem to be dragging by more monotonously than usual, which is crazy given how unexciting her life is. She’s nineteen years old, and somehow the most interesting things about her are her left hand and the fact that she doesn’t remember the first half of her life in the slightest. She was found wandering alone not long after the siege on the Sangedakru capital and was taken in by Charmaine Diyoza, a woman who ran a group home in Shallow Valley. Mori has been grateful to Diyoza for giving her a place to sleep and not asking too many questions. But even if Mori wanted to answer them, she wouldn’t be able to.

The only things that Mori has to remember her old life are a scar on her right cheek and a delicate necklace with an inscription about reuniting in Polis. If only she could remember who she was supposed to be reuniting with. Mori has wondered all her life, tried her hardest to remember, but it doesn’t seem in the cards for her to ever figure out who her real family is.

The television is on low as Diyoza likes to listen to the news while she makes breakfast in the morning. Mori watches as she sets out identical bowls of oatmeal for the younger kids in the house. Technically Mori is old enough that she doesn’t need to hang around the group home anymore, but she and Diyoza have come to an arrangement that she can stay as long as she helps out. It’s been fine for the most part, but lately Mori has been feeling a bit unsettled and wanting more out of the sad little life she leads.

“Madi, Luca, Hope! Breakfast!” Diyoza calls.

Commotion comes from above as Madi, Luca, and Hope descend the stairs and take their seats at the table. Diyoza found Mori when she was pregnant with Hope, so Mori has known Hope all her life. Madi and Luca were two more recent transplants to the group home, as people routinely came and went.

“Good morning, Mori!” Madi says as she plops down in the seat beside Mori.

Mori smiles. She might feel restless here at Diyoza’s, but she knows how much she’d miss these kids. “Morning, Madi.”

The news continues to play in the background as everyone quietly munches on their breakfast.

“And in other news, rumors have been circling about the status of the long lost Princess Emori,” the reporter says. “The joined royal families of Sangedakru and Trikru were overthrown ten years ago in an unsettling insurrection, and the entire family was killed. But the body of Emori, the youngest daughter of the king and queen, was never recovered.”

Mori rolls her eyes. “Is there nothing else to report that they’re going to talk about some stupid rumor?”

“You don’t believe that the princess could still be alive?” Hope asks with her mouth full.

“Chew with your mouth closed,” Diyoza instructs her.

“If she really were still alive, we would’ve heard about it already. It’s been ten years. It’s all talk,” Mori continues.

“Then why is the Grand Duchess Indra of Trikru offering a reward for whoever helps find Emori and bring her to Polis?” Madi counters.

“Since when do you pay attention to the news?” Mori asks with a frown.

“I listen when it’s interesting! And a princess that might be alive after all? That’s pretty cool.”

“Well don’t get your hopes up.”

“She kind of looks like you, Mori,” Luca says, pointing at the television.

Everyone turns to the TV, where they have a picture of a young girl of around eight or nine displayed. Mori squints her eyes, trying to find some sort of resemblance. She has no clue what she looked like as a child, since she doesn’t remember it. And of course she doesn’t have any pictures.

“If you’re not looking closely, maybe.”

“I don’t know. There’s a passing resemblance,” Diyoza says.

Mori looks at her in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re encouraging this.”

Diyoza simply shrugs. “I’m sure you’d be more convincing than some of the other women who are clearly going to try their luck at passing themselves off as royalty.”

Mori considers Diyoza’s words. If it’s true that the Grand Duchess is offering a reward to anyone with viable information on the whereabouts of her niece or her safe return, why shouldn’t she throw her hat in the ring? But it’s not like Diyoza could drop everything and travel to Polis with her. She has her responsibilities here. Perhaps this is the exact adventure that Mori has been searching for.

The idea plagues Mori’s thoughts for the rest of the day, distracting her from most of her chores. Thankfully there isn’t much for her to do. She lies awake that night wondering what it would be like to actually fool this Indra person. To have someone who considers her family for the first time. Diyoza is great, but she’s got a child of her own. They’re their own little family, and as much as Diyoza insists that Mori is a part of it, she just has a feeling in her gut that there’s something else out there.

Restless and unable to sleep, Mori gets up and goes to get a glass of water. She’s surprised to see Diyoza still at the kitchen table, sitting with a cup of tea.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asks.

Mori shakes her head.

“There’s still some water in the kettle if you want.”

She goes to the cabinet and gets herself a mug before making herself a cup of tea. She sits down at the table and takes a sip before either of them continue talking.

“You’ve been acting funny all day,” Diyoza finally says.

Mori shrugs. “Is there ever a part of you that just feels like you’re not where you’re meant to be? Like something is missing?”

“Probably not to the same extent you do. Is this about the princess thing from earlier?”

“This has been on my mind for longer than that.”

“I can tell when you’re distracted, you know.”

Mori chuckles, taking another sip of her tea before continuing. “I just don’t want to spend my whole life wondering. But I’m still not sure what I’m looking for.”

Diyoza nods. “You wanna see if you can con that duchess, don’t you?”

Mori feels her face heat up, but she nods. “I mean I get what you guys were saying, I do look a lot like her. And not that I’m not grateful for everything you’ve done for me, but this feels like the perfect opportunity for me to set out and try something new. I’ve really never been anywhere.”

“I get it. You’re young, you want to travel around and live a little. I think you should go.”

“Really?”

“If this is calling you, you should follow it. Don’t let me stop you.”

Mori smiles, standing up from the table to hug Diyoza.

“Thank you. For everything.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just don’t forget me when you’re living it up with a duchess.”

“Of course not.”

Mori and Diyoza talk for a bit longer before Diyoza finishes her tea and goes back upstairs. Mori stares into the remaining contents of her mug, a sense of anticipation and excitement flooding through her body. The thought of starting out on a journey, one that she’s not sure what will come of it, is incredibly scary, but also so thrilling. She’s never done anything so wild in her life, and she can’t wait for her adventure to start.

A few days later, Mori packs a small bag with all her belongings and embarks on her journey. She waves goodbye to Madi, Luca, and Hope, promising to visit once she’s figured everything out. Then she hugs Diyoza, probably too tight for Diyoza’s liking, but she’s nice enough that she doesn’t say anything. Mori’s about to leave behind everything she knows. As excited as she is, she can’t help but bite back some nerves.

Diyoza paid the fare for Mori’s train ticket to the old Sangedakru capital. Though it’s no longer the seat of power, there are still people living there, ones who don’t have much to their names and would most likely jump at the chance to team up with Mori and get a bit of extra money. She’s not sure how much a duchess would be willing to give, but even split between two people it would most definitely be more money than Mori has ever seen in her life.

Mori steps off the train in the capital and takes in her new surroundings. She’s seen pictures, but all from before the kingdom fell, so it wasn’t an accurate depiction of what meets her now. The area is desolate and it doesn’t help that it’s the cloudiest day that Mori has ever seen. People bustle here and there going about their business as if this less than charming life is their norm. And it probably is. She walks around the town, keeping her eyes and ears open to find someone that doesn’t seem completely sketchy to pull this off with.

She walks through town for about ten minutes before she overhears an interesting conversation.

“I heard that Bellamy Blake and John Murphy are holding auditions for someone who could pass as Princess Emori.”

“Those two never let up, do they?”

“Well I certainly wouldn’t with this sort of offer. A duchess is bound to have a great deal of money to give. Hell, I’d go down to the castle myself if I were even close to the right age to play the part.”

Mori perks up at this information. Two people holding auditions for the princess? It’s a shame that there’s two of them, since that means splitting the reward money three ways, but at least this is a real lead. Mori walks in the direction of the large and seemingly abandoned castle that lies just on the outskirts of town. It looms over everything with a commanding presence, a large reminder of what this place used to be.

It takes Mori about ten minutes to figure out where to get inside the castle. A lot of it is boarded up after years of no use, but she finds an opening and pushes her way through. She’s almost floored by how vast it is. She’s never been in a building so large before. It’s a shame that nobody is using it. She wonders why one family ever could have needed this much space. There’s no way they found use for every room.

Mori wanders, listening for sounds that might lead her to these people that she heard mentioned, but the whole place is seemingly empty. She turns her head and stops short as she comes across what must have been the old ballroom. The stained glass windows are darkened since there’s no sunlight and the chandeliers above are covered in cobwebs. Though it was only ten years ago that the siege happened, stepping into this room feels like much more time has passed. It’s as though Mori is exploring a room filled with ghosts. She can picture the laughter and mirth of fancy balls, something she’s only ever dreamed about. She closes her eyes, imagining the space crowded with people dancing and celebrating in their finest clothes. Rich people always find reason to celebrate something.

She walks further into the room, a weird sense of déjà vu falling over her, though she doesn’t know why any of this seems familiar. Mori has always loved an excuse to dance and she takes advantage of being in a room so large all by herself. She puts her bag down and mimics curtseying to no one before spinning around the room. She’s lost in the movements for a moment, humming a simple waltz melody that seems to come to her out of nowhere. After about a minute she feels silly dancing with nobody, so she picks up her bag and continues through the ballroom.

She ascends the stairs further into the room and is struck by the large portraits that hang on the wall. Mori gets closer, studying the family. They all look happy together, dressed in regal outfits. Her eyes move to the two people on the left side of the portrait. An austere woman sitting in the front row, with her hand on the shoulder of the young girl standing next to her. That must be Princess Emori and her aunt. Something churns in Mori’s stomach, maybe nerves or she’s not sure what, but she reaches out to the portrait, trying to figure out what this feeling is as she looks at it. She doesn’t even know what to call it. As she studies the young princess a bit closer, Mori is a bit unnerved by how alike they look. Maybe that’s why there’s a giant pit in her stomach. It’s like staring at a dead person, but the dead person is her.

“Hey!” a voice shouts from behind her.

Mori is broken out of her trance and turns to see two men at the doorway of the ballroom.

“Are you lost?” one of them calls to her. He’s taller than his companion and has a head of unruly dark curls and a trimmed beard.

“No, I was looking for John Murphy and Bellamy Blake?” she says, finding her voice again.

The man who originally shouted frowns as they begin to approach her. “I’m John Murphy, he’s Bellamy Blake. Do we know you?”

“You don’t, but I think you could help me.” She plays her cards carefully, not immediately wanting to give away what she’s after. “I heard that you might have a way to get me to Polis.”

“Won’t a train do that?”

She ducks her head. “I don’t have any money. And I haven’t really been anywhere.”

“Well I’m not gonna hold your hand through the ride if that’s what you were looking for.”

John and Bellamy finally near her and John frowns now that he’s closer.

“What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t. But it’s Mori,” she answers. “I was hoping to get to Polis because I’m looking for clues about my family.”

“You don’t know who your family is?” Bellamy asks.

Mori shakes her head. “I don’t remember much of anything before I was nine years old. All I have is this necklace that says ‘Together in Polis’. It’s my only clue.”

She watches as John studies her. It doesn't seem like he’s buying her story. Mori suppresses an eyeroll, working to put on her victim act. She’s done it multiple times to get random people to help her on the street when she was younger before Diyoza found her. She’d lure them into a false sense of security and then pickpocket them. Clearly she’s out of practice. John opens his mouth to say something else, but Bellamy nudges him, pointing up above. John turns his attention to the portrait behind Mori, then looks back at her, an annoying smirk spreading across his face.

“Mori, has anyone ever told you that you look like the long lost princess?” John asks.

Mori snorts. “Princess Emori? Are you kidding?”

“You don’t see it? Bellamy, you see the resemblance, don’t you?”

Bellamy steps forward, walking around Mori as if to get the full picture. “I do. The spitting image, honestly.”

“Have you ever thought that maybe your long lost family could be the fallen royal family?” John questions.

“Well now you just sound crazy,” Mori says, shaking her head.

“It’s not much crazier than you saying you don’t remember the first nine years of your life.”

Mori doesn’t like this John guy’s attitude. She doesn’t know how to feel about Bellamy, mostly since he hasn’t said very much, but he seems somewhat more palatable than John at least. But John thinks he’s playing her, and he thinks he’s doing a great job. In all honesty, she could probably give him a few pointers. Maybe then he wouldn’t be so cocky.

“Well we have a third ticket to Polis,” John continues. “But it’s for Princess Emori.”

She acts as though she’s contemplating the offer, turning around to the portrait again. That sense of déjà vu falls over her again as she looks into the eyes of the young princess staring back at her.

“I don’t know. Do you really think I could do it?” she wonders aloud.

Bellamy jumps in. “I know a lot about Sangedakru and Trikru history. I can teach you all sorts of things along the way.”

“And if you’re gonna decide, make it snappy. We need to start on our way today,” John adds.

Mori suppresses another eye roll and turns back to the two of them. They don’t betray their emotions on their faces, but they wait silently for her answer.

“If we do this, I get a cut of the reward money,” she finally says.

John’s eyes widen. “Reward money? Isn’t this about finding your family?”

“Please, do you really think I’m dumb enough to just randomly believe a stranger that says I’m a princess who is most likely dead? You’re doing this for money and I want some.”

“I—”

Bellamy cuts John off by elbowing him in the ribs. “Deal.”

“Bellamy!” John protests.

“Where are we gonna find another person that looks this much like the princess? You know all those other people were duds,” Bellamy says.

John rolls his eyes and looks to Mori. “Welcome aboard, I guess.”

Mori smiles, feeling deep satisfaction that it bothers John so much that he couldn’t mess with her. “Happy to be in business with you both.”

Bellamy turns and makes his way down the steps again, Mori following quickly after him. John stands on the top of the stairs for a moment. Mori turns around when she senses he isn’t right behind her.

“Aren’t you coming? I thought you had places to be,” she says.

John huffs before descending the stairs and following them out of the ballroom. Mori smirks as he walks past her to catch up with Bellamy. She’s already having fun messing with him. So far her adventure is off to a great start.

**______________________**

John Murphy is nothing if not resourceful. He’s had to fend for himself his entire life, so he’s seen a lot in his short eighteen years. And he likes to think he’s not an idiot. So he’s only slightly bitter that this Mori person has managed to worm her way into his scheme to trick the Grand Duchess of Trikru.

Like everyone else, Murphy and Bellamy heard the rumors of the long lost Princess Emori maybe still being alive. They weren’t dumb enough to believe they were true, but when they heard that the Grand Duchess Indra would offer a reward to anyone who had information or could bring Emori to Polis, they both jumped at the chance to pull a con that would make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Perhaps they could both leave behind the old Sangedakru capital for good for bigger and better things. They could even go into legitimate business together if they set their minds to it. No more living on the outskirts of life trying to scrape by. All they needed was a woman who could pass for the princess.

Just when things looked bleak after an abysmal day of auditioning people for the princess, they found the perfect girl wandering through the deserted ballroom of the castle. When she told them that she didn’t remember anything in her life before she was nine and that she just wanted passage to Polis so she could look for her family, Murphy jumped at the chance to try and get her involved without having to split the reward money with a third person. So it took him by complete surprise when she announced she wanted a cut of the money. And Bellamy immediately agreed.

So now Murphy finds himself traveling with Bellamy and Mori in the direction of Polis. He knows Bellamy is right and that they’re never going to find another girl that looks as much like Princess Emori as this Mori person does. When he first saw her, Murphy was struck by how similar they looked, even before Bellamy directed his attention to the portrait of the young princess hanging above her. It was almost as if he’d seen this exact girl before. But that was crazy talk and Murphy immediately shook it from his mind. It helps that as soon as she opened her mouth he decided he didn’t like her very much. But he tries to set that aside since he has no choice but to be in close quarters with her until they get the reward money.

“Now we can only travel so far on this train,” Bellamy says.

“Why is that?” Mori asks.

“Let’s just say Murphy and I have to travel around on the down low.”

She nods, not questioning Bellamy’s response. She seems unphased by their grifter lifestyle, so at least Murphy can appreciate that about her.

“Have you ever pulled a con as big as this before?”

Murphy frowns. “You sure ask a lot of questions.”

She throws him an icy glare. “Isn’t it good practice to know who you’re getting into business with?”

“It’s not like you have to trust us or anything. We have our audience with Indra when we get to Polis, we get the money, and we never have to see each other again.”

“It’s funny. You’d think since your entire con hinges on me, that you’d be a little nicer.”

“You’re not actually the princess,” Murphy says with a roll of his eyes.

“Well if we’re all going to fool this Indra lady, you might as well get in the habit of treating me with some shred of respect.”

Bellamy chuckles across from them and Murphy gives him an indignant look.

“What? She’s not wrong,” he says.

“Whose side are you on here, Blake?”

“Honestly if I had to choose right now, I’d pick Mori. She’s right, we need her as much as she needs us. And it’s a little funny when you don’t get your way.”

“I think we could go on to be great friends, Bellamy,” Mori says before turning to Murphy and smiling smugly at him. Murphy just huffs and slouches lower into his seat. Now he’s wondering what on earth he’s gotten himself into.

They ride on the train for the rest of the afternoon, getting off at a busy spot. Bellamy explains to Mori that they’ll start her history lessons in the morning. Murphy chuckles at Bellamy’s enthusiasm. He knows it’s an important part of the con, but Murphy is shit at history, so it’s a good thing he has Bellamy’s help in that department. He’s happy to be the brains of the operation, even if his ego still stings from Mori outsmarting him earlier.

They stop at one of their usual on the road haunts for the night, a simple motel on the outskirts of the nearest town.

“If I go to get food, will you guys promise not to be at each other’s throats while I’m gone?” Bellamy asks.

Mori shrugs. “I’ll behave if he does.”

“We’ll be fine, we don’t need a babysitter,” Murphy grumbles.

Bellamy eyes Murphy warily but eventually relents and heads off to grab them dinner. The silence once he leaves the room is almost oppressive. Murphy gets up and turns on the television just to have some background noise. Mori sits on the bed nearest the bathroom, legs tucked under herself. She plays with the glove on her left hand. Murphy wonders why she only has on that one glove. She doesn’t seem to ever take it off. He almost wants to ask her about it, but he’s worried it’s a sore subject. Even with the news playing in the background, he still hates that they’re sitting so uncomfortably. He knows deep down this girl must not be all bad. Murphy kind of admires her for tricking him.

“So where are you from?” he asks eventually.

Mori looks up at him in surprise. “Oh, so we’re going to make conversation now?”

He shrugs. “It seems better than sitting in silence while we wait for Bellamy to come back.”

She nods. “I don’t know where I’m from.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t remember the first nine years of my life, I told you earlier.”

“That wasn’t just part of your con?”

“Nope. A lady who runs a group home found me wandering, so she took me in. I’ve lived there with her ever since. Lots of the kids that pass through there are just staying there for a month or so. I’ve learned not to get attached to people.”

Murphy nods. “Well I guess we’re alike that way. I’ve been on my own for as long as I can remember. I ran into Bellamy and his sister when I was ten and they really helped me out. I don’t know what I would’ve done without them.”

“Bellamy has a sister?”

“It’s a bit of a touchy subject. They’re not exactly on speaking terms at the moment. He’s not even sure where she is.”

Mori nods. “Don’t get me wrong, being at Diyoza’s was nice. And she always treated me like family, like her own daughter. But I never completely felt like I belonged there. I’m not sure if I belong anywhere, really.”

Murphy frowns at Mori’s words, unsure what to say. He barely knows her, so he’s not sure if he should search for something comforting or just let the silence lapse again. He watches as she absentmindedly plays with her necklace.

“Maybe your place is in Polis,” he suggests.

“Maybe. I wasn’t kidding about the necklace, either. I have no clue what’s in Polis, but I want to find out. I’ve never really had an adventure before.”

“Well I hope it’s worth it in the end.” Oddly enough, he means it. He doesn’t want this to be a wasted journey when she clearly has so many unanswered questions.

“I hope so, too.” She turns her attention back to the television and fiddles with her glove again.

Eventually Murphy’s curiosity gets the better of him. “Is your hand cold or something?”

“What?”

“Your hand. You’ve kept that glove on all day, and sure it’s cold out, but you took the other one off when we got inside.”

Mori chuckles, shaking her head. “I don’t keep this glove on for warmth.”

Murphy frowns. “I don’t understand.”

She pauses for a moment, as if she’s working through a big decision. Murphy’s not sure what the hesitation is about but eventually she takes a breath and pulls the glove off of her hand to reveal her left hand to him. It’s different from her right one, the fingers bigger, a couple of them fused together.

“I was born with this. I got lots of questions and stares so after a while it just got easier to cover it up. That way I could at least pretend to be normal,” Mori explains.

Murphy is quiet for a moment. He can’t imagine what Mori must have been through because of her hand and something akin to anger bubbles in the pit of his stomach. It’s not fair that she’s had to endure cruelty just because of something out of her control, because of something that makes her a little different. When he doesn’t say anything, she carefully pulls the glove back over her hand.

“Screw those people,” Murphy eventually says.

Mori looks up at him again, an incredulous look on her face.

“I mean it,” he continues. “Screw them for making you feel less than for something you can’t do anything about. If you ask me, I think it’s pretty badass.”

“Liar.” She rolls her eyes and ducks her head, but she’s unable to hide her small smile.

“Trust me, I may be a conman, but I’m not a liar.”

“I’m not completely sure that makes sense.”

Murphy shrugs. “I guess all I mean is you can trust me. Bellamy too. I know I said earlier that wasn’t important, but I guess I was in a bad mood. We got off on the wrong foot, and I don’t want this whole trip to be insufferable.”

Mori laughs. “Is this your version of an apology?”

“If you want it to be.”

“Well, apology accepted.”

Murphy nods, a smile of his own forming. He and Mori look at each other for another moment before she breaks eye contact and turns back to the television. Now the silence between them feels less stilted, more friendly than it has all day. It’s probably for the best that he and Mori come to some agreement since they’ll have to travel in close quarters until this is over with. And for now, it’s turning out that she’s not so bad after all.

Eventually Bellamy returns with dinner, pleasantly surprised that Murphy and Mori seem to have been able to keep the peace while he was gone. He doesn’t say much, just smiles to himself as he passes them both a takeout container.

Murphy, Bellamy, and Mori spend the next few days making their way to Polis. Each morning begins with Bellamy giving Mori a history lesson to catch her up to speed with everything a royal would supposedly know. Murphy can’t help but laugh at how seriously Bellamy takes this part of the con. It’s probably to their benefit, but that doesn’t mean it’s not funny to watch him light up as he talks about some of these things.

“So Baylis was a cleric that the king pretty immediately let into his inner circle years before the two kingdoms were joined. But when Sangedakru made their alliance with Trikru, Baylis felt the king left him behind and that the demands he had been working towards weren’t being satisfied with the new alliance,” Bellamy explains.

“Okay, I know I grew up nowhere, but I still went to school,” Mori says. “And Princess Emori wasn’t even born when this happened! Why would she know anything about it?”

“Well I don’t know what exactly Princess Emori knew, but she surely would’ve had some version told to her. You have to know these things like the back of your hand if you’re going to fool Indra at all.”

“I feel like I basically lived through the insurrection at this point.”

“Then that means it’s working! Tell me what else happened. As if you were the princess.”

Mori groans and Murphy has to suppress a chuckle. She’s kind of cute when she’s annoyed. He frowns to himself, stomach flipping at that thought. Since when does he think Mori is cute?

“The new alliance left Baylis with nothing, and he wasn’t heard from for about fifteen years. Unbeknownst to the royals, he was working in the shadows to overthrow them and install a government that was more to his benefit. Many of the palace guards were in on the attack, because Baylis’s new government appealed to the common man. The siege at the Sangedakru capital took everyone by surprise, but I managed to escape,” she rattles off.

Bellamy nods. “Impressive. Next time do it with a bit more feeling.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you’re an acting coach, too.”

Murphy snorts, causing Bellamy to throw him a quick glare. He doesn’t miss the private smile that Mori gives him before turning her attention back to Bellamy’s lesson.

The afternoon continues with some etiquette lessons. Murphy’s not sure how Bellamy learned those particular things, but it’s definitely helpful.

“How does walking around with a book on top of my head prove that I’m a princess?” she asks as she holds her arms out and attempts to keep the book from dropping.

“It’s about posture,” Bellamy says.

“It’s dumb, is what it is.”

“Well we can take a break. We should probably go into town and look for a few things.”

Mori frowns. “Things?”

“Yeah, we should get you some nicer clothes for when we get to Polis. Nothing fancy, just a dress or something like that.”

Mori perks up at the mention of new clothes. They honestly all could probably do with some dusting off. Murphy and Bellamy don’t necessarily look like people who would be escorting a princess anywhere. They have to put their best foot forward if they want this con to work. The closer they get to Polis, the more Murphy thinks about how different his life could be without having to cheat people and steal all the time. He could live an honest life. It sounds a bit boring, but boring would be a welcome change compared to always being on the run or getting out of town if something goes wrong.

They shop for a few hours then check into another motel for the night. They’re close enough to Polis that they’ll arrive within the next day, so they spend time cleaning themselves up and trying to look more presentable. Murphy shaves, Bellamy attempts to get his hair to not fly everywhere, and Mori spends more time on her hair than Murphy even thought possible.

Bellamy mentions to Murphy that they have one last task to do before they go to Polis tomorrow, so Murphy sits in the parking lot waiting for Bellamy and Mori to be finished with whatever it is they’re doing in the room still. He pulls at the sleeves on his collared shirt. He feels uncomfortable, like these clothes might suffocate him if he’s not careful, but he just plays with the button to occupy his time. He looks up when Bellamy steps out of their room.

“May I present, Princess Emori!” Bellamy says, stepping aside with a flourish so that Mori can exit the room.

Murphy’s breath leaves his body as he admires Mori in one of her new outfits. She’s in a light blue dress, a new black glove covering her left hand, and her hair is lightly curled and the shiniest that Murphy has ever seen it.

“Wow, you look… wow,” is all Murphy can manage.

Mori chuckles. “You think I’ll pass for a princess?”

“Definitely.” Murphy doesn’t say the other thing on his mind, which is that the more time he spends with her the more she looks like the portrait of the young princess they saw hanging in the ballroom the day they first met. There’s something so familiar in her face, almost as though Murphy knew her before this week. But he keeps his mouth shut, for fear of sounding crazy.

“So there’s one last thing we need to go over before we’re ready to pass you off as the princess,” Bellamy says. “The royals loved a party, so you need to know how to dance.”

“Dance?” Mori asks, her voice wavering with nerves.

“Nothing too involved, just a simple waltz. Murphy, get over here.”

Murphy wills himself to move his feet in Bellamy and Mori’s direction, no matter how much he doesn’t want to dance. He stops in front of Mori, both of them eyeing each other curiously.

Bellamy rolls his eyes before taking their hands and pushing them together. “Oh my god, this is ridiculous.”

Murphy feels his face heat up, but he wills his nerves to settle as he takes Mori’s hand in his and places his other one on her waist. He frowns as Mori begins the waltz. He’s quick to move so that she doesn’t step on his foot, but it takes him by surprise.

Bellamy stops them. “No, no, no. Mori, let Murphy lead.”

She raises an eyebrow at Bellamy, but gives in and looks to Murphy. He chuckles before taking a breath and stepping forward.

They turn slowly, and at first Mori is too busy looking at their feet to make sure they don’t trip. Eventually she looks up at him and suddenly Murphy feels his throat go dry and he hopes his hands aren’t as sweaty as he’s imagining they are. He shouldn’t feel so unsettled by this. Why _does_ he feel so unsettled? Maybe if they make conversation he’ll feel better.

“That dress looks really nice on you,” he says.

“Thanks. I feel a little silly in dresses. Like I’m out of place or I stick out more,” Mori admits.

“No, you look perfect.”

She smiles at him. “You think so?”

Murphy feels his face go red again, but he nods. “Yeah, you’re beautiful.”

Now it’s Mori’s turn to blush. Murphy hasn’t spent much time looking at Mori other than to marvel at how like Princess Emori she really does look, but now that they’re this close to each other, he’s noticing things he hadn’t before. The way her eyes light up when she laughs or the way she scrunches up her nose when she’s confused. As they dance, Murphy feels lighter, ten times better than he’s felt in years with her in his arms. It’s natural, and he feels oddly sure about the situation.

“I feel a little dizzy,” Mori says, her eyes not leaving Murphy’s.

He nods. “Probably because of the spinning.”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe we should stop.”

“We have stopped.”

Murphy frowns, realizing that she’s correct and they’ve been standing still for he’s not sure how long. He’s been too lost in her eyes to care.

“Mori, I…” he trails off.

“Yes?” She looks at him expectantly, a glimmer of hope crossing over her face.

Murphy’s not sure what he’s hoping for or what compels him to do so, but his eyes flick down to Mori’s lips. She notices and they both start to lean in. Murphy’s heart pounds in his chest as their faces get closer together. Is this really happening? After tomorrow there’s no guarantee he’ll see her again. His brain kicks into overdrive, second guessing every interaction that’s led them to this moment. He doesn’t like Mori. He’s just thrown because she’s wearing a pretty dress. He pulls back, slightly more abruptly than necessary, which Mori definitely notices judging from the frown on her face.

“You’re doing great,” he says, patting her on the arm before turning and heading back into the motel room. He ignores the knowing look that Bellamy gives him as he passes by. He doesn’t have time for this.

Murphy closes himself into the bathroom and takes a moment to compose himself. He stares at his reflection in the mirror, running over the events of the past few days trying to figure out what’s led them to this moment, why he almost kissed Mori just now. He’s not sure what came over him and he wonders if there’s always been an unconscious part of his mind that’s wanted to do that. But he can’t get attached to her. Once this is all over, she’ll be gone. Everyone leaves. Bellamy is the only one who’s ever stayed. So even if it was a little awkward, Murphy convinces himself that it’s for the best that he pulled away. It’ll hurt a lot less when all this is over.

They arrive in Polis the next day, and there’s one more step in between them and the reward money from a grateful grand duchess.

“We have to meet with the duchess’s attendant,” Bellamy says. “I’ve secured us an appointment. And hopefully by this time tomorrow we’ll be rich beyond our wildest dreams.”

“Yeah, no pressure or anything like that,” Mori says with a nervous chuckle.

Murphy pats her arm, hoping the touch reassures her at least a little bit. “Hey. You’re ready for this.”

She smiles at him and nods as they make their way up to the attendant’s apartment. Bellamy knocks on the door and they wait in silence for it to open. Murphy’s stomach drops as the last person they were expecting to see behind the door opens it.

The woman frowns at them. “Bellamy?”

Bellamy is wide-eyed and flustered. “Octavia! I was not expecting to see you today.”

Murphy is fuming. Sure, Bellamy and Octavia haven’t spoken in a long time, but Bellamy is usually much better at planning than this. How could he not know who Indra’s attendant was? And what the hell is Octavia doing with this job in the first place?

“I wish I had time to catch up, but I have an appointment.”

“We are the appointment. Might I present, Princess Emori?” Bellamy gestures to Mori standing beside him. She looks only slightly confused, but plays along.

“Well she certainly looks like the princess,” Octavia says, giving Mori an appraising onceover. “Why don’t you all come inside.”

Octavia ushers them in and directs Mori to sit in the living room.

“Tea? Bellamy and Murphy, come help me with all the dishes.” She walks into her kitchen and Bellamy and Murphy follow quickly behind her, leaving Mori by herself.

“What the fuck is going on?” Octavia whispers harshly once they’re alone.

“Um, I could ask the same about you!” Bellamy says. “Are you running some con on the duchess?”

“No! I just work for her. I left all that behind. But clearly you two are up to something.”

“We saw an opportunity and we took it, don’t act like you’ve never done the same,” Murphy retorts.

“She does look like the princess, I’ll give you that. And you’ve even got a glove on her left hand. You clearly did your research.”

Murphy frowns. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“The real Princess Emori had a birth defect and the king and queen made her cover it up.”

He nods, though he’s slightly unsettled by such a weird coincidence. What are the odds that Mori and the princess have the same birth defect?

Octavia gathers the things for tea and hands Murphy and Bellamy each a few things to carry back into the living room. “Well you’ve come all this way. We might as well keep up appearances.”

With that she goes back into the living room, Murphy and Bellamy following behind her. Bellamy is expertly avoiding Murphy’s gaze, probably sensing that Murphy is pissed at this development.

Octavia sits down. “So, Emori. Tell me a bit about yourself.”

Mori smiles, launching into princess mode and Murphy is nothing short of impressed. She answers all of Octavia’s questions easily, as if she really did live this life. Now that they’re here this is almost feeling too easy.

“I’m impressed with all you seem to remember,” Octavia says with a nod. “I just have one last question. How did you escape the castle during the siege on the Sangedakru capital?”

Murphy tenses at this question, and he can feel Bellamy doing the same next to him. They didn’t prepare Mori to answer this one. If anything, it was probably the one thing they should’ve thought of a feasible answer for. How could they be so stupid? They were so close and Murphy feels himself deflating, as all their dreams of this plan working are dashed with just a simple question.

“I remember a boy,” Mori says, her face scrunched in concentration. Murphy looks up at her in confusion. “There was a servant boy that helped me and my aunt out through a secret passageway. He risked his life.”

Murphy frowns, his heart pounding in his chest as this familiar moment plays through his head. A castle on fire, adrenaline coursing through his little body as he pulled open a door in the wall and helped the duchess and the young princess escape all those years ago. He didn’t tell Mori that he used to work in the castle. In fact, he doesn’t tell anyone. The only way Mori would know that were if—

She really is the princess.

Octavia’s eyebrows shoot up at Mori’s response, probably because she wasn’t expecting it. She nods before saying, “Very nice. Well, you’ve passed every test.”

Bellamy perks up. “Really?”

“Yes. I really think you’ve found the princess.”

“So what comes next? An audience with the duchess?”

“Unfortunately, I’m not so sure. The duchess has been disappointed and discouraged with the people she’s met so far. She’s wary of meeting anyone else.”

“Is there any way you could convince her to meet with me?” Mori pleads. “Even if only for a few minutes?”

“Well, there is a benefit for the Royal Ballet tonight. The duchess will be in attendance. Perhaps at intermission you can come to her box, and I’ll see what I can do.”

Mori blushes. “I’m not sure I have an outfit for a charity benefit.”

“That’s alright. We can go into town and find something.”

Murphy barely processes the events of the next couple of hours, still in shock that he somehow stumbled upon the real long lost princess. And she has absolutely no clue. He doesn’t know what to do. Something in his gut tells him that he should tell Mori that he was the servant boy from her story, that he helped her and her aunt escape. She should know that she’s the real deal. But the selfish part of him wants to have these last few hours before her life changes forever. Once Indra realizes Mori really is her niece, she’ll be a princess and Murphy will still be nothing but a con artist.

“John, are you alright?” Mori asks as they leave yet another store.

He manages a smile and nods. “I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

She nods, taking his hand in hers. “Well cheer up. We did it! You’re about to be rich beyond your wildest dreams.”

“Can’t wait.”

Mori squeezes his hand before letting go and running off to catch up with Octavia. He chuckles to himself as she lights up, taking in all the sights Polis has to offer. He pushes down the sadness he feels at the fact that this is probably their last day together. He wants to enjoy the evening before everything changes.

**_______________________**

Mori pulls at the gown she’s wearing as she looks at herself in the mirror. It’s a royal blue and easily the most expensive thing she’s ever worn. She almost doesn’t recognize herself in it. She’s been a bundle of nerves since the afternoon when Octavia said that she would try to get her an audience with Indra. They’ve made it this far and there’s just one more step. She’s not sure how meeting the grand duchess will go, but she’ll find out soon enough, so it doesn’t make sense to dwell on it.

Even though she’s just been pretending to be the princess, there have been moments where Mori almost forgets she’s not actually Princess Emori. A tiny part of her wishes that weren’t the case. She didn’t expect this con to make her want so badly to find her real family. She knows they’re probably long dead, or they would’ve come looking for her ages ago. But the tiny part of her that always hoped one day she’d find her family again has come out in full force since she’s started traveling with Bellamy and John. She’s oddly gotten her hopes up, and she doesn’t know what she’s going to do if this doesn’t work.

Bellamy and John have been unexpected and welcome company on her journey to find out more about herself. Mori is always amused by Bellamy’s historical anecdotes. It’s clear she’s the only one that’s ever humored him because now that she’s shown interest, he won’t stop. Even John has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. They might have gotten off on the wrong foot, but Mori has quickly come to cherish his snide remarks and jokes. He never fails to make her laugh and he cares a lot more than he lets on. She can’t imagine her life without him in it, which is a terrifying thought, considering she’s only known him for a week. She’s not sure what she’ll do when this is all over. He probably doesn’t feel the same way, if their dance the other night was any indication.

Mori’s not sure why Bellamy couldn’t have just danced with her, but for some odd reason he practically pushed John to her side so she could learn to waltz. As they spun together, Mori found herself studying John in a way she hadn’t allowed herself to. She found herself lost in his overwhelmingly blue eyes, studying the way his brow furrowed as they talked about nothing in particular. Once they stopped spinning she was sure he was going to kiss her. She could’ve sworn that he leaned in. Perhaps she just imagined it, because the next moment he quickly made his way back into their motel room and he didn’t say anything else to her for the rest of the night. She tries not to let it bother her, doesn’t want to overthink the situation, but it’s all that she can think about when she’s not busy with something else. It’s probably for the best that she and John go their separate ways when this is all over. Things would be easier on her mind, probably. Even if the thought of never seeing him again makes her incredibly sad.

She’s startled out of her thoughts by a knock on the door of her hotel room. She goes to answer it and finds Bellamy on the other side. He’s fidgeting with one of the buttons on his tux jacket, but smiles when she opens the door.

“You clean up nice,” Mori says, stepping aside to let him in.

Bellamy chuckles. “Thank you. You look lovely, by the way.”

“It almost doesn’t feel like I’m me when I’m wearing this.”

“Well you’re not. You’re Princess Emori tonight.”

She nods. “Right. Just this one last test.”

He reaches out and strokes her shoulder. “You’ve got this. I’ve taught you well.”

“What are you going to do when all this is over?”

“I’m not sure. I guess I might stick around here. Maybe try and make things right with Octavia. It’s not like there’s anything tying me down elsewhere.”

Mori opens her mouth to speak, but closes it again, not wanting to sound stupid. She takes a breath before asking, “Do you have any idea what John might do?”

If Bellamy finds the question odd, he doesn’t show it on his face. “It’s hard to say with Murphy. He’s not big on planning for the future. Almost like he doesn’t want to jinx it or something. But he doesn’t have anything tying him down anywhere, either.”

Mori nods, staring down at her hands.

“You know, maybe you should ask him yourself,” Bellamy continues.

She looks back up at him. “Huh?”

“I think you should talk to Murphy. Ask him what his next moves are. He might be waiting for some sort of sign.”

A sign? Does that mean what she thinks it means? She knows Bellamy and John are close, but she still has no clue as to what they talk about when she’s not in the room. But something in Bellamy’s words gives Mori a glimmer of hope that maybe the weird tension she’s been feeling with John isn’t all in her head.

She takes his hand in hers. “Thank you, Bellamy. For everything.”

He chuckles, squeezing her hand. “I should be the one thanking you. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without you. The most perfect princess to ever exist.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m just a very good actor.”

“Still. Get your coat, we should get going.”

Mori grabs the black coat and her small bag that Octavia bought for her earlier. She almost felt like she couldn’t accept these gifts from Octavia, but she insisted, saying that the long lost princess deserved nothing but the best. It made guilt churn in Mori’s stomach, and a pit has been sitting there ever since. As much as she wants to pull this off for the reward money, she almost wishes that Indra is able to see right through her facade. She hates the idea of causing that woman excitement when she knows she’s not the real deal. Mori knows there’s no turning back, so she tries to set those thoughts out of her mind. They won’t do her any good now.

“Murphy is impatient and left already, so we’ll meet him there,” Bellamy says as they get into the car that’s waiting for them downstairs.

Mori nods and slides in after Bellamy. The ride to the theater is quiet, but not long. She stares out the window, taking in Polis as it’s lit up at night. It’s nothing short of spectacular, and she’s still in awe that she’s finally here. All her life she’s wanted nothing more than to come to Polis and learn more about her past. Now she’s here, but she still doesn’t feel like she belongs. She knows she hasn’t found what she’s looking for, and she’s more determined than ever to figure out what exactly that is after all this is over.

They pull up in front of the theater and the driver comes around to open the car door for Mori. She takes his hand as she steps out. Cameras flash all around, and she’s never felt more on display. It’s a little terrifying. She’s worried she’ll trip or that some of her hair has come out of its bun. Thankfully, Bellamy comes around from the other side of the car and holds out his arm to her. She steadies herself and threads her arm in his as they walk up the stairs and into the building.

“Let me take your coat,” Bellamy says. He helps her with it, then leaves her standing by the stairs to go check it. Mori looks around the lobby, still slightly overwhelmed with so many unfamiliar faces. She’s never felt more like a fish out of water than she does right now. So she lets out a sigh of relief when she turns and makes eye contact with John across the lobby.

He’s dressed in a similar tux to Bellamy’s, though his has a bit more embellishment on it. She smiles at him and starts moving towards him. He moves to her as well, and they meet in the middle of the lobby.

“Princess,” John jokes, though she doesn’t miss that his smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

Mori laughs. “You don’t have to call me that.”

He shrugs. “We’re still playing pretend. You look beautiful.”

She ducks her head, though she’s sure he can still see the blush spreading across her cheeks.

“Will you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to our box?” he asks, holding out his arm.

Mori smiles, taking his arm. “I’d be happy to.”

They walk up the stairs to their box and take their seats. Mori curiously eyes everyone in the room, all dressed in their finest outfits. She’s never been around such rich people before. She’s not sure what to do with herself. She looks over to John. He seems more subdued than normal. In fact, he’s seemed subdued ever since they left Octavia’s apartment earlier in the day. She’s not sure what’s come over him.

“You’re awfully quiet,” she says. “I’m surprised you’re not making jokes about how everyone’s a sucker for having paid this much to see a ballet.”

He smiles. “Well they’re all definitely suckers. I guess I’m still tired, though.”

Mori nods. “It has been a long day.”

They lapse into silence, John leaning against the railing of the box. Mori’s not sure when she’ll get another moment to ask him, especially when Bellamy eventually shows up.

She takes a deep breath. “John?”

He turns his head to look at her. “Yeah, Mori?”

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing after this?”

“After the ballet? Going to sleep, probably.”

“No. I mean, once this is all over.”

“I don’t know, really. I’m not big on thinking too far into the future.”

“Bellamy said you’d say that.”

He raises an eyebrow at that. “Oh, so you’ve been talking to Bellamy about me?”

She chuckles and wishes her hair were down to hide the blood rushing to her cheeks. “Only briefly. I think I might stay here. Explore the city and keep looking for my family.”

“Mori, I—”

“Would’ve appreciated some sort of communication that you guys had already come upstairs,” Bellamy says as he makes his way into the box.

“We knew you were smart enough to figure it out eventually,” John quips.

Bellamy rolls his eyes and grumbles before turning his attention to his program. Mori turns back to John, wanting desperately to ask him what he was about to say, but just as she opens her mouth the lights dim and the show begins.

Mori spends the first half of the act fidgeting in her seat. As soon as the lights dimmed, she remembered the entire reason they were here. As soon as intermission begins, she and John will be off to find Octavia and the grand duchess in their box, and she’ll have to prove to the dead Princess Emori’s aunt that she is the princess. The more she thinks about it, the more ridiculous it sounds. How did any of them think this was a good idea in the first place? It almost feels like things have gotten out of hand.

The pit in her stomach settles slightly as John rests a hand on top of hers. She stills at the contact at first, surprised that it’s happening, especially after their dance. But she welcomes it, squeezing his hand and allowing his touch to calm her. She’s able to stay still for the rest of the act.

The curtain falls on the ballerinas as act one ends, and the lights in the house come back up. John stands and stretches before looking to Mori.

“Ready for this?” he asks.

“As I’ll ever be,” she says as she stands up.

Bellamy nods at them. “Good luck, guys. The duchess’s box is on the other side of the house.”

John nods and motions for Mori to follow him out of the box. They move with the crowd as people stretch their legs or make their way to the bathroom before the show starts back up again. There’s lots of conversation around them, but Mori doesn’t hear any of it. She wills herself to remain focused. They’re so close to the end of this she can almost taste it.

John spots Octavia in the crowd and waves at her. She smiles at them as they make their way over to her.

“You both wait out here, and I’ll announce you,” Octavia says once they’re at the door of the box.

Mori watches as she steps back inside and walks up to the duchess.

“Your Grace, I have someone outside who is very eager to meet you,” Octavia says.

“It better not be another Emori impersonator. You know I said I was done with those, Octavia.”

“I know, but I think this time it might actually be her.”

“If you wish to keep your place, you will stop pestering me about this. I would like to move on with my life, and being stuck in the past isn’t helping.”

Mori’s heart sinks. For as nervous as she is to even be within ten feet of the duchess, it still hurts to hear her talk this way. She’s sad for her. She can relate to spending years wondering if a family member maybe is out there after all, hoping that one day they’ll be reunited. It stings, and now Mori almost wishes they hadn’t caused this woman anymore grief.

John puts a hand on Mori’s arm. “Hold on a second.”

Mori frowns as John walks into the box. “John!” she whispers, but he ignores her.

“Your Grace, all I ask is that you at least see her. She really is the princess,” John says.

Mori has no idea what’s gotten into John or what his plan is. She listens intently, curious as to what’s going through his head.

“And who are you?” Indra asks.

“My name is John Murphy. When I was a boy I worked at the castle in the old Sangedakru capital.”

The duchess laughs. “Oh, well that’s a story I haven’t heard before. I give you points for originality, boy.”

Mori frowns as John continues trying to explain himself. In the midst of their planning, nobody had given Mori a way she could have escaped the castle, but when Octavia asked, she saw an odd flash of something, not unlike what she’d experienced when she walked through the abandoned ballroom. A young boy risking his life to save her. Is he trying to build on this story?

“I’m telling the truth, Your Grace. I worked in the kitchens and I liked to wander at night. The princess ran back for her music box, and you went after her. You wouldn’t have made it out in time, so I showed you a secret passage so you could get out safely.”

A music box? Mori hadn’t mentioned a music box earlier. John continues, becoming more specific, almost as if he had lived this himself. Suddenly Mori goes cold as it dawns on her that he did live this.

“This is the princess, I am sure of it,” he says resolutely.

A wave of emotions hit Mori all at once. Confusion, sadness, anger. Is she really Princess Emori? And if John knew, why didn’t he say anything to her?

“Young man, I have seen enough Emoris to last me a lifetime. I am done. Please leave before I call security to remove you.”

John exits the box, his head hung in defeat. Mori bites back tears as he looks up at her.

“You were the servant boy,” she says. “You knew I was the princess.”

“Mori, let me explain.”

“You knew and you didn’t say anything. When you know all I’ve wanted my whole entire life is to find my family again. And now the duchess won’t even see me!”

“I only figured it out this afternoon. I was going to tell you!”

“When? After you got your reward money?”

He doesn’t say anything, looking back down at the ground.

“You lied to me. You said you weren’t a liar. You said I could trust you,” Mori bites.

“You have every right to be upset with me,” John says.

She laughs bitterly. “I’m almost more upset with myself. To think that I let myself get attached to you. That I almost…”

His eyes go wide. “That you almost what?”

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m going back to the hotel. Tell Bellamy I have a headache.”

She turns and starts to walk back down the stairs.

“Mori, please!” John begs, grabbing for her arm. She yanks it away from him, turning to face him. She almost wishes she hadn’t, because the look of desperation she finds there almost makes her forget her resolve and forgive him. But she can’t. He took away her once chance to have her family back.

“Leave me alone.” She turns and practically runs out of the theater. Thankfully no tears fall until she makes it back to the car.

Of all the ways that Mori pictured her big adventure to Polis going, this certainly wasn’t one of them. Now that she knows who she is, she’s never felt more lost. And her aunt doesn’t even want to see her. All the anger she was feeling melts away, until only the sadness is left. She wants nothing more than to forget this whole trip ever happened. She’s too curious for her own good. She never should have left Shallow Valley.

Mori pulls off her gloves and changes out of her gown and into her regular clothes as soon as she shuts her hotel room door. She wants to rid herself of every nice memory of this trip. She doesn’t have much to pack, so she sits on her bed as more tears fall. To think she came all this way looking for money and found something completely different. It’s been a wild week, to say the least.

She lies back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling for what feels like hours. Her eyelids start to droop with sleep, but she’s startled awake by a knock at the door. She’s not sure how long it’s been, but the ballet must be over by now. It’s probably Bellamy coming to check on her. She groans and gets up from the bed and heads to the door.

“I don’t really feel like talking, Bellamy,” Mori says as she opens the door. She has to catch her breath when she finds the Grand Duchess Indra standing in front of her instead.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Your Grace,” Mori says before remembering to curtsy. “Please, come in.”

She steps aside and lets Indra into the room. She eyes Mori curiously, and Mori feels herself blush under the woman’s scrutiny.

“Your friend John says you go by Mori?” she finally asks, sitting down on the couch across from the bed.

“I do.”

“And where have you been all these years?”

“Shallow Valley. A woman found me wandering and took me in.”

“And you never wondered about your family?” Indra asks.

“Of course I wondered!” Mori says as she sits down next to her aunt. “I couldn’t remember a thing, but all I wanted was to figure it out so I could get back to them. So I could find where I belong.”

“I like to think of myself as a rational woman. But losing my niece that night, there was a part of me that always hoped she wasn’t gone forever. And that’s the part of me that wanted so badly to believe these rumors that have been floating around. It’s why I’ve been indulging so many ridiculous imposters. If I don’t have hope, what do I have left?”

Mori nods, resting a hand on her necklace. “I’ve always hoped I would find my family some day. My only clue is this necklace that says ‘Together in Polis.’ So I jumped at the chance to come here. At first it was partially for the reward money. But more and more it’s become about finding out who I am.”

Indra studies Mori for a moment before pulling a small box out of her bag. Mori frowns as Indra hands it to her.

“Your friend handed this to me after the ballet ended. He thought I should have it back.”

Mori turns the box over in her hand a few times, trying to place what it is. She knows it’s not just any box. Her hand hovers over a keyhole that’s shaped like her necklace. Mori holds the box up as she fits her necklace into the lock and turns it. The box opens and plays a familiar lullaby.

“I know this song,” she whispers in awe. “It was our old lullaby. So you could remind me that one day we’d be together in Polis.”

She looks up at her aunt and sees a fond smile on her face. “And here we are. You really are Emori.”

Mori nods, tears stinging in her eyes as she embraces her aunt. As much as she always hoped to one day find her family, she didn’t expect it to happen, and she certainly didn’t expect to discover that she’s a princess along the way. It almost feels like too much of a dream, but she’s so glad it’s real.

“I’m so glad I’ve found you,” Indra says as they pull away.

“I’m glad I’ve found you, too.”

“There’s a lot of catching up to do, but for now you should rest. Why don’t you come to my residence tomorrow, and we can make plans.”

Mori nods, her grin growing bigger by the second. “Okay.”

Indra leaves and Mori tries her best to sleep, but she can’t. She’s too excited, unsure what her life is going to look like now, but being a princess doesn’t matter all that much to her. She’s just glad to have found what she’s been searching for her entire life. A place where she belongs.

The next few days are a whirlwind, as Indra plans a ball to celebrate being reunited with her niece. Mori has never had a fitting in her life, but in just two days she’s had ten and it all feels a little ridiculous. But she can’t fault her aunt for being excited.

Mori walks through her aunt’s residence to the library. She’s spent her days when she’s not catching up with Indra exploring the vast house. There are still so many rooms she hasn’t gotten to yet. She can’t imagine what one woman needs with all this space.

The last person Mori expects to see is John Murphy, but she finds herself met with him as she descends the stairs into the main foyer. He’s coming from the direction of Indra’s office. Mori no longer feels anger when she looks at him, only annoyance.

“John,” she says curtly as she reaches the bottom of the stairs.

“Princess,” he says, bowing to her.

Mori can’t help but roll her eyes. She’s not used to people curtseying to her or calling her “princess”. It’s odd to watch John do those things. It almost makes him feel like a stranger. In some ways he still is a stranger, but in others, Mori feels like he could’ve quickly become her best friend. She tries not to think about that, not wanting to run through scenarios of what could have been. That’s not productive and she wants to focus on her future here in Polis.

“I take it you’re happy your reward is larger since it’s not being split three ways,” Mori spits.

John doesn’t answer, only gives her a sad smile. “I’m leaving Polis in the morning. You’ll never have to hear from me again. But I hope you’ve found what you’re looking for.”

“I have,” she says, though as she says it, she’s not as sure anymore.

“Good. Goodbye, Mori.”

“Goodbye, John.”

He turns and leaves the residence, and Mori wills herself to not stare after him, ignoring the way her heart aches now that he’s gone. She sighs and heads to the library.

Later that evening, all sorts of people flood Indra’s residence for the grand ball celebrating Princess Emori’s return. Mori feels slightly more natural in her gown today, though the thing that makes her feel out of place are all the people she doesn’t know. Indra introduces her to quite a few foreign dignitaries who marvel at how much she’s grown and tell her all sorts of stories about when she was a girl. She nods and smiles, playing along, not wanting to explain to every person that she meets that she just doesn’t remember them. Bits and pieces of her old life come back to her every now and again, but nothing as specific as meeting one prime minister one time when she was seven.

Leading up to the ball, Mori thought she’d be more excited. She didn’t do much playing pretend as a child, but a girl named Harper who spent time at the group home loved to dance and Mori always had a lot of fun pretending that they were at a fancy ball. Here she is, finally at one, and she’s not even sure what to do with herself. She doesn’t much feel like dancing, so she’s fine to just watch as others do. They twirl through the room, having the time of their lives. Mori wishes she could say she’s having the time of her life. She should be happy, seeing that she’s back with her aunt. She has everything she’s always wanted. But she can’t shake the feeling that something is missing.

Mori goes to the second floor balcony to watch people dance from above. It’s quieter up here, and it’s nice to be slightly removed from some of the chaos. She notices Bellamy in the crowd, talking with his sister by the drinks. Things seem to be going well for them, and she’s glad that in all of this he can also be reunited with his family.

“You don’t want to dance?” a voice calls from behind her.

Mori turns to see Indra walking towards her. She smiles and shakes her head. “Maybe at the next ball.”

“You’ve been very quiet all afternoon. I thought you’d be more excited about this.”

“I am excited!” Mori says quickly. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

“Will your friend John be making an appearance?”

Mori snorts. “I don’t know if you could call him my friend. He was only in it for the money, so I doubt I’ll ever see him again.”

“Emori, he didn’t take the money,” Indra says, resting a hand on Mori’s arm.

Mori looks at her aunt in disbelief, feeling light for the first time all day. “He didn’t? Why would he do that?”

“He did not elaborate, he simply expressed that he didn’t need it.”

Mori frowns. That’s the furthest thing from the truth. She knows that money would have helped John immensely. Why wouldn’t he take it? And why does her heart flutter so much at the thought?

“You know, you’ve lived a life so different from this for as long as you can remember,” Indra says. “It’s solace enough knowing that you are still alive. If you want to go and make your own life, that’s alright with me.”

“But you’re my family, Indra. This is where I belong.”

Indra smiles, taking Mori’s hands in hers. “You will always belong with me, Emori. And you’re always welcome in my home. But perhaps there’s someone you might fit with a bit better.”

She considers Indra’s words, heart beating fast as she realizes what this might mean.

“There’s something I have to do,” Mori says.

“Go on, then.”

Mori pulls her aunt in for a hug before taking off to find John. She has to make things right.

She throws on a coat over her gown and doesn’t bother waiting for a car to take her to the hotel. It’s not far anyway, so she sets off in a run down the street. A few passersby give her odd looks, but she barely notices. Mori has one thing on her mind, and it is finding John and telling him the truth.

Mori arrives at the hotel and goes up to the floor they were all staying on. Her stomach dips as she nears John’s room, as if she’s suddenly unsure of all the decisions that have led her here. Maybe this is a mistake. What if he doesn’t want to see her? She wouldn’t blame him, especially after she’s been so rude. But she knows this can’t be the end of their story. She won’t let it be. She takes a deep breath as she knocks on the door.

John opens it and his eyes go wide, as though she’s the last person he expected to be there.

“Mori,” he breathes.

“You didn’t take the reward money,” she says.

“Huh?”

“The reward money. Why didn’t you take it?”

He shakes his head, brushing off the question. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Yes it is. That money could have really helped you. What changed your mind?”

He looks at her, that sad smile crossing over his face. He hesitates before finally answering, “Seeing you reunited with your family was more than enough. That’s all I needed. You wanted somewhere to belong, and you’ve found that now.”

“Yeah, I belong there. But I know I also belong with you,” she declares. Her heart is pounding, and she hazards a glance at his face. He stares at her almost in disbelief. She’s having trouble believing she said it either.

“You don’t want to be with me,” he says after a moment. “You’re a princess, you deserve so much more than being with a con artist.”

“When have I ever made you think that I care about things like that?”

“But what about your family?”

Mori steps closer to him, taking a deep breath before speaking. “I thought that finding my family would make me happy. And it does. I’m so glad I know where I’m from, and I’m glad I have Indra. But when you asked me earlier if I found what I was looking for, I wasn’t completely honest. Because I think you’re a part of that. I can’t pretend like this past week hasn’t meant the world to me, and you’re the reason why, John.”

A grin spreads across his face and he takes her hands in his. She smiles at him, filled with warmth at his touch.

“I’ve never spent much time thinking about where I fit in, because it just gets depressing after a while. And I haven’t known you for all that long, but it feels like you’re what was missing. I fit in with you,” he says.

Hearing those words out of John’s mouth makes Mori’s heart soar. It means all those moments that passed between them weren’t just in her head. He does feel the same way.

“So what’s it gonna take for me to convince you to stay in Polis?” she asks.

He chuckles. “I was only leaving because I thought you didn’t want me here.”

“Well I do. I want you to stay.”

“Then I’ll stay.”

“Good.”

They stand there, and Mori’s smile is so big her face hurts, but John has a smile to match. She takes him in, giddy at the prospect of figuring out what this is between them. Mori notices his eyes drift down to her lips and she chuckles to herself before leaning in to press her lips with his.

The kiss is quick, as they test the waters, but Mori has never been more sure of anything in her life as John’s mouth moves with hers. The feeling is overwhelming, but she doesn’t mind it. It’s absolutely perfect.

John pulls away and rests his forehead on hers. She almost melts at the soft look on his face, and smiles to think she’s the cause of it. This doesn’t feel like real life.

“So what now?” she asks.

John shrugs. “I don’t know. Do you wanna come inside?”

“Okay.”

He smiles, pulling her into the room and closing the door behind them before taking her face in his hands and kissing her again. She giggles as she kisses him back, still in disbelief but so happy that they’ve found each other. Mori loves how John put it, that they fit in with each other. They were strangers when this journey began, and along the way they’ve found something so special with each other. He might not be the family she set out looking for, but he’s her family, too. Mori couldn’t be more thrilled to start on the rest of her journey with John, knowing where they both belong.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you think.
> 
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